Newbie needs help on GE Profile Dryer

[dans78]

Hello all, this is my first post here. I have experience working on mechanical stuff and using a voltmeter so I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction as I'm new to appliance repair. A friend gave me a used GE Profile electric dryer. I don't have the model # here but it's a regular metal door model I believe the serial # is something like DPX...

His fiancee said it doesn't work on high heat and takes like 2 hours to dry a load of clothes. I plugged it in, switched the heat to high, turned the dial to Permanent Press "More Dry", and held the door switch button while looking in. I saw the coils in the back glowing red so I guess the coil is good. We dried a load of jeans and they dried in about an hour and a half, but the dial never moved off of "More Dry" and my wife said the jeans were a wrinkled up mess!

Then we tried drying using the timed cycle. The dial moved correctly for the timed cycle, but the clothes took over two hours to dry (it was a small load of light Tshirt type clothes) After an hour the clothes were only luke warm at best and very damp still. Also, I already made sure the vent from inside the dryer all the way to outside the house is totally clear, it's only about 6 or 8 feet long altogether.

I'm wondering what all might be bad and need to be checked or replaced. Any tips on things to test and how to do them would be greatly appreciated.

[Dan O.]

Model number?

** GE Profile electric dryer. I don't have the model # here but it's a regular metal door model **

I'm afraid that vague product description does not help to identify the product in question, only its exact and complete model number will. Please post that information so we can try to help.

You can find tips for locating the model and serial number identification tag on your appliances in the 'Repair Parts' section of my web site linked below.

** I believe the serial # is something like DPX... **

The serial number is not useful at all in identifying the appliance (besides the fact that it is incomplete and just a guess).


** I'm wondering what all might be bad and need to be checked or replaced. **

Once you supply the product model number it will enable us to look it up to see what components your particular model uses which might be responsible for your symptoms and then we can pass them along to you.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

Thanks Dan O., sorry I didn't have the model & serial # with me at work when I found this site. Here's the information I just copied off the dryer's tag located on the right side top of where the door closes.

GE Profile
Model: DPXQ473ET0WW
Serial: DR714491A
Made In Canada
General Electric
Louisville, KY

I found the link on Dan O.'s site to the manual. I can't post it yet b/c I have <5 posts, but here's the web address, just add a semicolon after the http and you're there http//genet.geappliances.com/DocSearch/pdf/49-9936.PDF

Thanks again!

[Dan O.]

Both elements working??

** GE Profile [dryer] model: DPXQ473ET0WW **

That's better.

** ...held the door switch button while looking in. I saw the coils in the back glowing red so I guess the coil is good. **

That dryer model uses a dual element coil set up (see the following link). The glowing you seen could very well be only one of the two coils working.

BTW. Running the dryer with the door open will change the air flow pattern through the dryer, possibly leading to premature element failure. Such action should be very limited in length.

LINK > GE DPXQ473ET0WW Double Element Asm.


** turned the dial to Permanent Press "More Dry"... but the dial never moved off of "More Dry" **

On some GE models the power for the timer is routed through one of the two element coils during an 'auto' or 'permanent press' setting. If that one element coil burned out, it would cause reduced heat and could also prevent the timer from advancing on those cycles depending on the design of the dryer in question. Someone would need to check the appliance's wiring diagram to see if such an scenario is possible on that particular model or at least inspect the element for obvious failures.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

I didn't run the dryer long with the door open and thanks for letting me know not to run it too long like that.

Also, thanks for the info on it having 2 coils. On the dial not moving on "Permanent Press", does the dial moving and timer working fine on the timed cycle mode tell us anything regarding the dial being OK or not and whether both coils are operational?

[Dan O.]

does the timer working fine on the timed cycle mode tell anything regarding the [timer] being OK

Yes, it says the timer is capable of doing what it is suppose to do so there's likely some other cause preventing it when it doesn't. It is likely fine.

or whether both coils are operational?

Just that indicates nothing at all toward the condition of the element. On a 'timed' dryer cycle, the timer doesn't care if the dryer is heating or not. The elements could be there and good, there and bad or even totally missing and the timer wouldn't know the difference on a 'timed' cycle.

JMO

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

OK, so what's the next step, to take the back off the dryer and inspect the heating coil?

[Dan O.]

The back does not come off on most newer laundry products, most service is done from the front. The element might be able to be checked for continuity just by raising the top. Visually inspecting and/or replacing the element usually also requires removing the front panel and dryer drum.

JFYI

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

I just took the whole assembly apart (the link below was extremely helpful and the links to his pictures are awesome) I'm guessing Dan O. was 100&#37; right and the 1 coil being bad resulted in the poor performance of the dryer. After removing the drum, I noticed immediately the inner coil was a differnt color than the other one. After looking at them I noticed a break in the coil close to where the wire starts on the left side. I guess I can just get a coil restring kit and I should be good to go! Thanks for the help. I'll let ya know if this fixes it.

LINK > Appliance Tip of the Day: Dryer Disassembly

[Dan O.]

I noticed a break in the coil

That'll do it!

I guess I can just get a coil restring kit

Yes. It is a bit more work but with the cost of the whole assembly so high, that might be the route I went as well. The proper replacement element coil set for it is linked from the element assembly page I linked to previously. Replace both at the same time.

I'll let ya know if this fixes it.

Please do.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

Just re-read this posting that's about 2 years old now & it makes me glad there's people like Dan-O out there to help! Dryer's been going good since then. Thanks Again!!!

[Dan O.]

it's about 2 years now & dryer's been going good since then.

Glad to hear it. Thanks for the follow up.

Dan O.
www.Appliance411.com
The Appliance Information Site
=D~~~~~~

[dans78]

Well after a few years the clothes are taking much longer to dry, so I think it's time to do this repair again. I'm so glad there's people like Dan O. out there to help people like me that are tinkers but don't have the experience to know exactly where to start on stuff like this.

I just checked and part # 824395, the heating coil kit, is still under $30! If not for this I'd have bought 2 dryers by now I'd have spent about 10x or more than the cost of parts, not to mention the hassle of going to pick out a new one, dragging it in, and hauling the old one out. THANKS AGAIN!

I might need to replace the switch panel part # 276475
repairclinic*com/PartDetail/Switch/276475?modelNumber=DPXQ473ET0WW
because the dryer turns on when you shut the door (i.e. never need to hit the start button) but at $115 I might just leave it as is.